Patents Examined by Paul Hyun
  • Patent number: 9829434
    Abstract: A tip for use in an optical detection system to analyze an analyte in a fluid sample drawn into the tip, using light reflected from a detection surface inside the tip that the analyte binds to, comprising a first detection surface and a second detection surface located in a same flow path with no controllable valve separating them, wherein the first and second detection surfaces have different surface chemistries.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2016
    Date of Patent: November 28, 2017
    Assignee: Bio-Rad Laboratories Inc.
    Inventors: Yochanan Uri, Boaz Ran, Ariel G. Notcovich, Shay Nimri
  • Patent number: 9824870
    Abstract: A system that integrates several technologies into a single, portable medical diagnostic apparatus for analyzing a sample body fluid (liquid and/or gas): (1) a mechanism to capture airborne microdroplets and to separate the body fluid into a first fluid component (primarily gas) and a second fluid component (primarily liquid); (2) a volatilizer to convert a portion of the second fluid component into a third fluid component that is primarily a gas; (3) a functionalized nanostructure (NS) array configured to receive, identify, and estimate concentration of at least one constituent in the first and/or third fluid components; (4) a miniaturized differential mobility spectrometer (DMS) module; and (5) a biomarker sensor, to detect volatile and non-volatile molecules in a sample fluid, which may contain one or more components of blood, breath, perspiration, saliva, and urine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 29, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2017
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Administrator of NASA
    Inventors: Tore Straume, David J. Loftus, Jing Li, Cristina E. Davis, Anup K. Singh, Matthew A. Coleman
  • Patent number: 9815056
    Abstract: Single-sided optoelectrowetting (SSOEW)-configured substrates are provided, as well as microfluidic devices that include such substrates. The substrates can include a planar electrode, a photoconductive (or photosensitive) layer, a dielectric layer (single-layer or composite), a mesh electrode, and a hydrophobic coating. Fluid droplets can be moved across the hydrophobic coating of such substrates in a light-actuated manner, upon the application of a suitable AC voltage potential across the substrate and the focusing of light into the photoconductive layer of the substrate in a location proximal to the droplets. Walls can be disposed upon the substrates to form the microfluidic devices. Together the walls and substrate can form a microfluidic circuit, through which droplets can be moved.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 14, 2017
    Assignees: THE REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY LIGHTS, INC.
    Inventors: Ming-Chiang Wu, Jodi Tsu-An Loo, Shao Ning Pei, Gaetan L. Mathieu, Jian Gong, Randall D. Lowe, Jr., Justin K. Valley
  • Patent number: 9808805
    Abstract: A liquid reservoir for use in a microgravity environment includes a bladder for holding a liquid. The bladder includes flexible walls and an opening for extraction of the liquid from the bladder. An internal structure is shaped so as to form a channel to conduct the liquid from an end of the bladder that is distal to the opening. The internal structure is configured to prevent the walls of the bladder from blocking the channel when suction is applied to the opening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: SpacePharma SA
    Inventors: Ira Naot, Molly K. Mulligan, Alexander Pekin
  • Patent number: 9808762
    Abstract: One embodiment of the present disclosure describes an industrial system, which includes a control system with a predictive emissions monitoring system that facilitates determining a chemical level output from a selective catalytic reduction unit that reduces the chemical level in gaseous emissions produced by a combustion source using a selective catalytic reduction model. The control system tunes the selective catalytic reduction model by determining tuning parameters based at least in part on vendor information and tuning data determined via a tuning sequence. The tuning sequence includes operating the combustion source at a plurality of load levels, injecting a reactant into received gaseous emissions at each of the plurality of load levels in accordance with an injection rate provided in the vendor information; and determining an input chemical level to and an output chemical level from the selective catalytic reduction unit at each of the plurality of load levels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignee: Rockwell Automation Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Walter Edgar Hayes, IV, Keith Alex Smith, Eugene Boe, Dennis Tzyy-nian Yieh
  • Patent number: 9810708
    Abstract: The automated sampling system has a water tight case that encloses a testing instrument. In the preferred embodiment, the testing instrument is a field-portable ion chromatography instrument designed to test water samples. In operation, a controller directs a syringe pump to draw fluid from outside the system through a specialized filter with a continuous flow lower reservoir. When directed by the controller, the syringe pump then injects the sample water into a testing portion of the field-portable ion chromatography instrument.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2017
    Assignees: The United States of America, as represented by The Secretary of Agriculture, The Penn State Research Foundation
    Inventors: Kyle R. Elkin, Randall G. Bock
  • Patent number: 9802200
    Abstract: Tools and methods are provided for removing a plurality of tubes from a rack of tubes. Tube rack tools include a base and/or top piece for receiving the rack of tubes. The base has a support surface for engaging the closed bottom of the plurality of tubes. The support surface can be curved such that the rack of tubes can be rocked about the curves support surface to dislodge the plurality of tubes from the rack. The top piece can be configured to engage the rack such that pressure on the top piece in the direction of the support surface applies a pressure on the rack without applying the pressure to the tubes. The tubes are dislodged from the rack by application of the pressure. Elements of the tube rack tool are also configured for securing the tubes within the rack or caps to the tubes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: BioFire Defense, LLC
    Inventors: Logan M. Taylor, Richard David Abbott
  • Patent number: 9789487
    Abstract: A tray for holding a plurality of blood collection tubes is disclosed. The tray includes a deck portion, a sidewall portion disposed about at least a portion of a perimeter of the deck portion, a first well defined within the deck portion and a second well defined within the deck portion, with each well configured to receive a blood collection tube therein. Each well defines an aperture therein and the tray includes at least one structural rib interconnecting the first well and the second well without extending into an aperture of the first well or the second well. The tray may include a plurality of wells, each well defining an aperture therein, and a plurality of structural ribs, each structural rib interconnecting at least a portion of the plurality of wells without extending into an aperture of any of the wells.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: Becton, Dickinson and Company
    Inventors: Kenneth Karpiloff, Michael Iskra, Gregory L. Lusardi
  • Patent number: 9789485
    Abstract: A micro-fluidic device includes at least one inlet and a curvilinear microchannel having a trapezoidal cross section defined by a radially inner side, a radially outer side, a bottom side, and a top side, the cross section having a) the radially inner side and the radially outer side unequal in height, or b) the radially inner side equal in height to the radially outer side, and wherein the top side has at least two continuous straight sections, each unequal in width to the bottom side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignees: Massachusetts Institute of Technology, National University of Singapore
    Inventors: Jongyoon Han, Chao Yu Peter Chen, Chong Jin Ong, Guofeng Guan, Ali Asgar Bhagat, Lidan Wu
  • Patent number: 9776188
    Abstract: A test tube holder is configurable to support a combination of a first test tube type and a second test tube type. The test tube holder has a base and a plurality of independently adjustable support members, each coupled to and rotatable with respect to the base between a first position, where the support member is configured to support the first test tube type, and a second position, where the first support member is configured to support the second test tube type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2017
    Assignee: Heathrow Scientific LLC
    Inventors: Gary Dean Kamees, Timothy Gerard Driscoll, Alice Marie Jandrisits
  • Patent number: 9772287
    Abstract: An analytical system and method for periodically monitoring an injection water distribution pipeline for the presence and concentration of formaldehyde or other aldehyde-functional biocide includes pumps, one of which provides a predetermined volume of injection water drawn from the pipeline at a sampling point and the other a predetermined volume of a reagent, preferably a buffered solution of dimedone, from a reagent storage vessel which are mixed and then heated in a chamber to a predetermined temperature to promote formation of any reaction products. The heated reaction mixture is passed to a detection cell and exposed to light of predetermined wavelength which, in accordance with the Hantzsch reaction, molecules having an aldehyde functional group that reacted with dimedone produce a fluorescence-emitting reaction product, the intensity of which is measured and compared to data previously obtained from standard aldehyde-containing solutions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 16, 2014
    Date of Patent: September 26, 2017
    Assignee: Saudi Arabian Oil Company
    Inventors: Mohammed A. Al-Moniee, Naim Akmal, Peter Frank Sanders, Fahad N. Al-Abeedi
  • Patent number: 9751082
    Abstract: A multi-actuated micro-pipette controller is actuated in at least three different ways. First, the multi-actuated micro-pipette controller may be employed similar to a striper for denudation of cumulus cells and transfer of oocytes and embryos by depressing an actuator assembly operably coupled to a ballonet. Second, the multi-actuated micro-pipette controller may be actuated similar to a SWEMED™ denudation pipette by pressing directly on the ballonet while it is seated in a primary housing and a secondary housing, without employing an actuator assembly of the primary housing. Third, the multi-actuated micro-pipette controller may be actuated by removing the ballonet and employing it similar to a PASTEUR™ pipette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 5, 2017
    Inventor: Dunsong Yang
  • Patent number: 9746485
    Abstract: An automatic blood coagulation analysis device including a computation processing unit which executes computation processing according to a pre-installed program, and a storage unit which stores data acquired from outside and data obtained through computation processing by the computation processing unit. The computation processing unit comprises an Fbg computation module, a correction coefficient computation module, a reference value setting module and a difference module. The storage unit comprises a standard sample measured value holding unit, base value holding unit, standard sample difference value holding unit, reference value holding unit, correction coefficient holding unit, specimen measured value holding unit and specimen difference value holding unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: SHIMADZU CORPORATION
    Inventor: Junichi Matsumoto
  • Patent number: 9746451
    Abstract: An aspect provides a method of determining a concentration of free chlorine in an aqueous sample, including adding a reagent to the sample, the reagent being reactive with the free chlorine at a first kinetic rate and reactive with at least one chloramine at a second kinetic rate, the first kinetic rate being different from the second kinetic rate; measuring an absorbance response over time resulting from reaction of the free chlorine and the at least one chloramine with the reagent over time; and determining the concentration of the free chlorine in the sample based on a determined rate of change of the absorbance response over time. Other aspects are described and claimed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 2, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Inventors: Kevin J. West, Brian Harmon, Zhao Lu
  • Patent number: 9746398
    Abstract: An automated analyzer is offered which can dilute an analyte repeatedly without contamination due to carry-over and thus can yield reliable analysis results. The analyzer has an analyte turntable for holding analyte containers in which analyte is stored, a dilution turntable for holding dilution containers for storing a diluent, a dilution probe for aliquotting a liquid between two containers held on these two turntables, respectively, a diluent vessel for storing a diluent, and a diluent supply mechanism for supplying the diluent into the diluent vessel. The dilution probe has a function of aliquotting the diluent stored in the diluent vessel into the dilution containers held on the dilution turntable. The diluent vessel has a diluent discharging mechanism for discharging the diluent from inside the diluent vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 29, 2017
    Assignee: JEOL Ltd.
    Inventors: Takashi Tamagawa, Yasuhiro Fukumoto
  • Patent number: 9738927
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for performing analysis and identification of molecules have been presented. In one embodiment, a portable molecule analyzer includes a sample input/output connection to receive a sample, a nanopore-based sequencing chip to perform analysis on the sample substantially in real-time, and an output interface to output result of the analysis.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 1, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 22, 2017
    Inventor: Daniel Wai-Cheong So
  • Patent number: 9733254
    Abstract: Methods and apparatus for the in vitro modelling of changes that occur on administration of a drug formulation are described, in particular for studying the changes that take place on administration of protein or peptide drug formulations by subcutaneous injection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 15, 2017
    Assignee: The University of Bath
    Inventors: Randall Jay Mrsny, Hanne Maarit Kinnunen
  • Patent number: 9726603
    Abstract: A grating pattern element includes peaks which are periodically arranged and valleys provided between the peaks, and at least one of the peaks and at least one of the valleys includes an adsorbing material on a surface thereof which adsorbs a target material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 8, 2017
    Assignee: SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Joonhyung Lee, Sangkyu Kim, Seongho Cho
  • Patent number: 9719971
    Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a microfluidic flame ionization detector for use in small scale separations, such as, for example, microfluidic gas chromatography and microfluidic carbon dioxide based fluid chromatography. In some arrangements, the microfluidic counter-current flame ionization detector employs a non-parallel arrangement for the introduction of combustion gases into the combustion chamber. In other arrangements, the detector housing is configured to incorporate at least one of the detector electrodes within the housing using electrically isolating fittings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: Waters Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Michael O. Fogwill, Joseph D. Michienzi, James P. Murphy, Geoff Gerhardt
  • Patent number: 9719891
    Abstract: An exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a simultaneous multipoint testing system for analyzing the composition of a fluid in a duct. The system can comprise a plurality of probes each having a plurality of sample legs at different locations within the duct. Each probe can also comprise a mixing chamber for mixing fluid samples collected by each of the sample legs. The system can further comprise a global mixing chamber configured to receive the mixtures of fluid samples from each probe mixing chamber and mix those fluid samples to create a global fluid sample. The system can further comprise an analyzer configured to receive at least a portion of the global fluid sample and measure levels predetermined compounds present in the at least a portion of the global fluid sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 1, 2017
    Assignee: The Southern Company
    Inventors: Gary Blackmon, Mitchell Gober